Internet of Things (IoT) platforms, delivered as a service, are the key that will enable enterprises to leverage a number of growing trends within the IT space, and access a range of benefits that will help them grow their businesses.
In today’s rapidly digitally transforming world, we are witnessing the rising adoption of smart technologies, along with an exponential increase in connected devices. These are among the critical drivers behind an expanding Internet of Things (IoT) Platform as a Service (PaaS) market.
To give an indication of the huge growth that is behind the demand for scalable and efficient IoT PaaS offerings, the US Department of Commerce reports that the number of connected devices globally is expected to exceed 50-billion by 2030.
In order to effectively harness the benefits provided by IoT, businesses today require scalable, flexible, and cost-efficient solutions – all of these are things PaaS solutions are designed to offer. Being virtual solutions, these PaaS offerings eliminate the many infrastructure challenges posed by physical platforms, allowing for the rapid implementation of IoT applications. This is a key value proposition that modern enterprises find so compelling.
“The move towards IoT PaaS is further driven by the growing requirement organisations have for automation and real-time data analytics. It should be obvious that the increasingly fast pace of development across business sectors demands strong operational efficiency and strategic decision-making – requirements that are built on effective analytics,” explains Ross Hickey, CEO and founder of Trinity.
“Another reason why these platforms are so compelling is that data privacy and security concerns continue to grow. Since governments and regulators across the world are enforcing stricter data governance policies, the providers of these platforms have made innovative efforts to deliver high level security measures – including end-to-end encryption, multi-factor authentication, and secure firmware updates – in order to ensure secure device management and data exchange.”
Beyond the need for stringent security, he adds, enterprises also seek a platform that can support a multi-cloud strategy, that ensures effective interoperability and can deliver an edge computing capability.”
Rising trends
“Among the trends in this space is the accelerated growth of this market, driven largely by the massive investments being made in IoT PaaS solutions by both the well-known industry giants and smaller, niche start-ups. This acceleration has sped up the innovation cycle, leading to an increasingly large basket of diverse and feature-rich solutions, designed with specific industry verticals in mind,” notes Hickey.
“The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) into these platforms is also rising in prominence, with many organisations thus also able to incorporate advanced analytics and autonomous decision-making – enhancing real-time responsiveness, predictive maintenance, and device management, thereby reducing downtime, improving asset longevity and increasing organisational competitiveness.”
A third trend he identifies is the move towards edge computing, which reduces latency, conserves bandwidth, and enhances data security, thanks to the processing power sitting closer to the data sources. An IoT PaaS solution that delivers edge orchestration features will enable both more efficient data management and better device control at the network’s edge.
“Of course, all of the above only increases the need for clear interoperability standards and open architectures, both of which are vital to building a more connected and resilient IoT ecosystem.”
Hickey indicates that the growing focus on sustainability issues and green IT is another trend in this space, as cost and energy constraints mean these platforms have to support energy-efficient device management and environmentally conscious analytics. This falls in line with the pursuit of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals, the consideration of which is becoming more crucial every day.
Smart cities and beyond
“We live in an era where the term ‘smart city’ is commonplace, as governments increasingly seek to develop connected cities and homes, and this is providing an additional boost to the growing demand for IoT platforms. After all, these would be the backbone required to connect devices and systems, deliver the seamless communication required and to support the applications – such as those needed for public safety, traffic management or energy optimisation – that ultimately make a city ‘smart’.”
Scalability, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness are also among the key benefits of cloud-based IoT platforms, as these enable enterprises to manage large volumes of data efficiently, while edge computing allows for real-time data processing closer to the source. The combination of these also plays into the smart city principle, by driving innovation in areas as diverse as autonomous vehicles, healthcare and industrial automation.
Other benefits offered by IoT PaaS solutions in the above sectors include the ability to enable predictive maintenance and enhance operational efficiency in manufacturing; supporting remote patient monitoring and telehealth services in healthcare; and delivering enhanced logistics and fleet management capabilities in the transportation sector.
“There is little doubt that businesses today seek to maximise the potential of their IoT investments, which only serves to highlight the need for strong integration solutions. It is thus imperative that such organisations invest in open standards, platform interoperability, and multi-cloud strategies.
“Remember that – as seamless connectivity, robust security, and increasing scalability positions IoT PaaS as a critical strategy for enterprise digital transformation – so companies need to collaborate to create a broader ecosystem that will allow them to reduce vendor lock-in, accelerate innovation and ultimately, meet the diverse needs of organisations across the value chain,” concludes Hickey.